Speaking during an interview with Punch, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kehinde Bamigbetan said that the Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA report on the project had taken care of future negative impact on the environment, adding that the Lagos state government, as a responsible government, carried out comprehensive EIA before embarking on massive land reclamation going on in the coastal areas of the state. Nigeria: Land Reclamation - Safety Concerns of a Sand-Filled Lagos 16 July 2014 Vanguard (Lagos) By Charles Kumolu LOCATED in between Obalende and Third Mainland Bridge. If done in an organised manner, I believe nobody will complain. Mangroves are regarded as land forming organisms [10]. The reclamation land which is in two phases is located on a reclaimed land of over 100 hectares. 5 Princes Gate Court, This is the reclamation of a river for the purpose of constructing roads, residential quarters and industries [4]. Answer this The key to understanding Lagos, Africa's most populous city, is in the water. The Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission takes us over part of the Dutch province of Flevolandthe newest province in the Netherlands and one of the largest land reclamation projects in the world. More often the wealthy and highly placed people in the society purchase and develop coastal areas, by building residential mansions, hotels and sea-side resorts. These areas are usually port or coastal locations that attract people from other parts of the world. This will however, take 1020years to stabilize. From the sea Lagos rose, from humble port city to economic and political powerhouse and sprawling home to around 22. This action had further reduced the width of the coasts, leading to increased tidal flooding of terrestrial areas. This means areas that had been cleared and sand filled could be opened up again to be interconnected with the river, so that it will gradually become alive and revert to its original form [11]. Together the system of management is called ecosystem management, which is a way of managing reserve to benefit biodiversity and people. Undoubtedly it would be technically possible to reclaim much, possible most of the Wash, but there are a couple of obstacles. Changes in river channel via canalization or dredging changes the river system by increasing the length and breadth of the river which affects the flow dynamics and hydrology of the river [3]. Some small towns, notably Minna, Uyo, Makurdi, Maiduguri, and Bauchi, experienced remarkable growth in population and economy after becoming state capitals. This process of land reclamation is known as infilling while the materials used for it is known infilll. Local sand mining is done manually by the digging of sand from the bottom of the river during low tide and conveyed ashore in hand dug canoes. The crude oil resource is mainly present in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, which is the centripetal force on which the nations economy revolves [3]. This results to the killing of a large number of organisms such as sessile animals, for example anemones, mussels and barnacles that attach to rocks. The investment company of Lagos state, Ibile Holding Company is carrying out the project on behalf of the state. This situation had led to the loss of many species. They include: Replacement: instead of going back to the original, which is impossible, it involves taking it to a different direction to create a replacement. Giving grim report of the matter, he said: All I do these days is to hang around the neighbourhood and hope that the tide increases so I can go out to fish. This includes zooplankton, phytoplankton, benthic organisms and fisheries. This situation thus necessitated the reclamation of coastal areas to create more space for human habitation. Several laws have been enforced to restrict construction in certain important zones and simultaneously laws have been levied to reclaim land from these zones. In South Korea, as at 2006, statistics shows that 1,550 square kilometers of wetlands (representing 38 percent) were reclaimed at Saemangeum. Furthermore, census of species found in the area was made at the three study sites. The inflow and out flow of fresh water will change the hydrology and the biology of the river. Before coastal lands are to be acquired proper environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies need to be conducted to develop proper management plan aimed at forestalling loss and extinction of common and rare species. Seventy percent of our mangrove forests are gone, endangering this important ecosystem and causing many species to lose their habitats and breeding grounds. Sand filling of the coasts lead to the burial of millions of species. The economy is all about the desire for resources and land. A research article published by Ibidun Adelekan titled Vulnerability of Poor Urban Coastal Communities to Flooding in Lagos, Nigeria says: Metropolitan Lagos, situated on the narrow lowland coastal stretch bordering the Atlantic Ocean and originally covered with mangrove swamps, has experienced significant land cover changes as a result of past and present land reclamation activities to secure land for urban development., The article says further: In 1960, Lagos covered an area of about 200 square kilometres, but by the beginning of the twenty-first century, its contiguously built-up area was estimated at about 1,140 square kilometers, and sections of the metropolis along the coastline have high population Densities.. This situation affects the fish survival and population. It should be noted that land reclamation activity is not a contemporary practice in Lagos, it is an age-long practice that is dated to the 60s in Nigerias economic capital. According to Wikipedia, land reclamation (land fill) is a process of creating new land from ocean, riverbeds, or lake beds. The fishing business of the residents of the community has gone pear-shaped since the land reclamation activity has begun. Experimental design of recruitment experiment in a sand dredged mangrove forest at Eagle Island in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. The warm shallow waters of the continental shelves are most biologically productive and support the greatest species diversity. So far in this location thousands of houses had been built, which houses over half a million persons. Speaking on the Oworonsoki land reclamation exercise, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ade Akinsanya said that the project would add immense economic values to the state. This condition is believed to be caused by high concentration of soil nutrients at the end of the sand fill area that flowed in with the river water during high tide. Through the use of police power they acquire and take over mangrove forest they bulldoze the forest, dredge and sand fill the site, which they allow to lie fallow for some years or reinforce and develop immediately. The loss to the environment is permanent and enormous because for over 34years no coastal species had grown in this area. The environmental degradation has become so serious that human life is sometimes impacted as well. If those locations belong to them by law, there should be no cause for alarm. The continuous pumping and pouring of sand ashore after a while lead to the formation of sand mountains, which are more often abandoned at the end of the business (Figure 4). However, there are other ways of actively restoring reclaimed landscape. Battery Park City is atop sand shipped from Staten Island. Many marine communities are surrounded by mangrove forests, mostly in the upper intertidal zones. The city is situated on four main islands namely, Lagos, Victoria, Iddo, and Ikoyi which are all connected by a network of bridges. Centralization: these are lands that are regarded as focal points as a result of their economic value. Gracefield Island is another new joint project between the Lagos state government and Gravitas Investment Limited and it is expected to cover 100 hectares of land of the Lagos lagoon at the Northern end of the Chevron Way and the Northern Offshore of the Ajiran Land. Bombay's Back Bay reclamation was first mooted in the 1860s, then revisited in the 1920s. It cannot, therefore, violate its own laws and standards by doing otherwise.. A manufacturing company in the production of herbal drugs, Afroganiks, has called for more research on drugs produced from herbs, while noting that, Herbal products most of the time cause kidney problems and organ failure in the body because they are not well dosed.. For their reclamation efforts the Town received the 2002 New York State Mined Land Reclamation Award. Along the coast, the average precipitation is about 2,000mm to 3,000mm. Home > At about 345 people per square mile, it is also the most densely populated country in Africa. Diamond Island is also seen as a cradle of commercial activities because the plots of lands there are available and meant for commercial, industrial and also residential activities. Population increase has led to the migration of people towards the coastal locations. Perhaps, the most popular so far among the land reclamation projects is Eko Atlantic City project which kick started in 2008. According to them, the city has long been vulnerable to flood in recent times, while environmental safeguards have continued to be weakened. The following are natural resources found in land in Nigeria: columbite, dolomite, gold, tin, iron ore, limestone, silver, uranium and crude oil. Political Map of Nigeria Map based on a UN map. Globally, half of the world mangroves have been destroyed [16] as people have reclaimed those areas as a result of coastal development. Another example is the replacement of invasive nipa palm forest with native mangrove forests. This is because the organisms that reside in these areas are wiped out during the first phase of reclamation. Port-Harcourt, Warri and Lagos are at the sea level. Our team is growing all the time, so were always on the lookout for smart people who want to help us reshape the world of scientific publishing. Land that is reclaimed is used for construction of schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. However, many land reclamation activities are not development-centered, but business-centered. Books > But to avert the impending doom, the Lagos State Government had issued a suspension order on all approvals in respect of land extensions into the Lagoon especially at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi. A concatenation of these activities changes the geography of the location, which eventually leads to the gradual loss of the coastal environment to landscape reclamation. Land can either be physical or economic. By Jason Gordon, Adam S. Willcox, A.E. They stand to benefit from future developments in the axis. This could lead to the death of soil dwelling organisms. The Government also ordered the immediate cessation of all ongoing works, construction, reclamation and other similar activities in respect of extension approvals granted or being processed at Banana Island and Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi. As a result, offshore systems such as coral reefs and eel grass beds are readily degraded. London, SW7 2QJ, A study found land-reclamation projects shrank the number of mangroves in Tubli Bay, off Bahrain's east coast. Land in the Niger Delta area is in large demand because of traditional and cultural beliefs attached to the possession of land [1]. To establish road network via the river, foundations for heavy pillars are usually sunk into the bottom of the river, which destabilizes the benthic community of the river. Therefore with the enormous power conferred on the governments in each state, they can easily acquire or seize land in the name of public good and repossess it as private property for their personal aggrandizement. Industry experts are also concerned with the level of compliance with existing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act No. The suggested solution to revert an already devastated area is by applying natural and human mediated ecological principles to facilitate land and coastal recovery [20]. Crude oil pipeline and well head situated in reclaimed coastal area in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Decrease in water level affect intertidal level especially when areas along the shore receive no water supply and become dry. Every citizen of Nigeria is empowered to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria. Changes in land form lead to changes in the biogeography of the area. Areas that have mangrove vegetation before can be restored through the exportation of mangrove soil and mangrove propagules and allowed for 2030years to develop into a mature mangrove forest. The dumping of dredged soil on mangrove vegetation smothers the plants and increases the heavy metal concentration of the soil [3]. Land is regarded in this area as the best form of asset investment because of the prestige attached to its ownership. Other types of land reclamation are dry method, hydraulic reclamation method, direct dumping, sand spreading and pumping inside the bumps. Ben Ayade for allowing a level playing field at the Cross River North senatorial election of Feb. 25. Land reclamation in the Niger Delta passes through five phases, which in all ramifications affect the environment. In a classical case of land recuperation after landscape reclamation at Eagle Island in the Niger Delta, recruitment occurred through natural process within a space of 13years. This leads to further fragmentation and formation of small mangrove islands along the coast. Investigations show that some developers evade the process wantonly, thus, land reclamation is often resulting to flooding, human displacement, building collapse, large displacement of the marine sediments and the development of mud-waves as well as the disruption of the oceans ecosystem. Growth may also be facilitated by the absorption of soil nutrients embedded in the first layer of soil brought in by tides. The Great Wall of Lagos will ensure that everyone living and working within the 10 square kilometres (6.2 miles) of reclaimed land for Eko Atlantic and the population of Victoria Island are protected from the sea, Frame assured. The direct causes include: (i) land expansion, (ii) construction activities, (iii) land acquisition and (iv) succession (land-forming activities of mangroves). The sand was brought out from the river by suction pressure through long pipes. Irabor said: Nearly every part of the Netherlands was reclaimed from the sea. For instance, establishment of refinery in a locality leads to the reclamation of more coastal lands to harbor the cluster of people who come to seek for jobs. Orange Island is another reclaimed island that covers about 150 hectares of land and is located within the Lekki axis in Lagos. Similarly, reckless and indiscriminate hunting in opened forest reduces population and thus reduces species diversity, which may lead to extinction of some species. One cannot jettison the issue raised by UN-Habitat and Ibidun Adelekan as regards the problem of flooding that can stem from massive land reclamation because coastal areas such as Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi on several occasions have been ravaged by flood. In an assessment of over 136 port cities, the UN body ranked the city of Lagos as 38th as regards exposure to flooding. This is a situation where rivers near ports are expanded to accommodate large ocean going ships. It is the responsibility of the Government to protect the land against illegal landscape reclamations. Land reclamation has been a common practice to produce valuable land in coastal areas . Largest cities in Nigeria in 2022 (in 1,000 individuals) Number of inhabitants in thousands Lagos Kano Ibadan Port Harcourt Benin City Kaduna Abuja Maiduguri Zaria Aba Jos Ilorin Oyo Enugu. A combination of these activities leads to the acidification of the river causing fish deaths and physiological and reproductive problems of numerous marine organisms. By, this, the land reclaimed is therefore known as reclamation ground or land fill. Sand mining is also done with more sophisticated machines, where pumps are used to convey sand from the bottom of the river unto land via long pipes. 3:02 am. The result indicates that Potassium and magnesium had the highest concentration. On its right is the. Luloff, James By Jamilah Mohd Salim, Maizatul Azwa Radzi, Sheriza M IntechOpen Limited Before exploration the site is prepared through pilling, dredging, sand filling, grading and concreting. Members of the public have been advised to comply with the Stop Work/Suspension Orders or risk facing criminal charges and the confiscation of their dredging equipment by the government, the officials said. Jakarta, the fastest sinking city in the world, made a plan in 2014 to tackle rising sea levels and subsidence. Land reclamation impact the coastal environment in several ways (Table 1). Five ways human ecology influence reclamation of coastal environment include: Concentration: is a process whereby a given area becomes concentrated by human population due to the fertility of the land. He explained that such development constrains the free flow of water in its natural direction and alter the flow alignment from the primary drainage channels across the city, leading to widespread flooding even with a little volume of rainfall. by SurefireFashion: 11:32pm On Mar 17, 2017 following Re: List Of Igbo Towns In Nigeria. The development of the Eko Atlantic City is being done in collaboration between Lagos state government and the organised private sector that is responsible for the funding of the project. Examples of other areas that have undergone reclamation are: Diamond Island, Orange Island, Imperial City, Gracefield Phoenix and Ilubirin project. This means that those living on the old waterfront now have a large expanse of land bordering their respective locations. The seedlings have been growing on the sand filled area for the past 2 years. The way the practice is being done in Nigeria encourages subsidence along the coast. Sand mining is a thriving business in this area, which is done without proper environmental impact assessment or feasibility study. Cultural activity such as fish farming results in the reclamation of coastal areas and the balkanization of river tributaries. It also involves the establishment of well heads and booth camps. Conversion of coastal environment to terrestrial area through deforestation and solidification to terrestrial environment in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. This facility is situated at a coastal community that is land-locked. 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